What should you know about body chills?

Chills can occur as the body adjusts its temperature during fever. Influenza, dengue fever, malaria, pneumonia, and urinary or kidney infections may present with chills alongside symptoms from the affected system. Shivering without a measured fever can follow cold exposure, stress, low blood sugar, or some medicines. Chills with confusion, very fast breathing, severe weakness, or feeling dramatically unwell can accompany sepsis. Note whether the episode is brief or repeated, whether fever follows, and whether there is cough, pain when urinating, back pain, rash, or recent travel.

Move to a comfortable room, use light layers, and check your temperature if possible. Sip fluids and rest. Avoid piling on heavy blankets if you have a high temperature, as overheating can worsen discomfort. Treat fever only with a medicine appropriate for you and follow its label or a pharmacist’s advice. If malaria is possible because of recent travel or residence in a risk area, arrange prompt medical assessment rather than waiting for symptoms to settle.

Seek urgent care for chills with confusion, difficulty breathing, blue or pale skin, fainting, severe drowsiness, a stiff neck, a rapidly spreading rash, or inability to drink. Contact a clinician for repeated episodes, persistent fever, painful urination, flank pain, cough with breathlessness, or chills after travel.

Ask what may be causing the pattern, whether urine or blood testing is appropriate, how to manage fever with your current medicines, and whether travel changes the recommended evaluation.